Mental Health in the Workplace: What Gen Z and Millennials Expect from Employers

2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, Deloitte

Mental health support has emerged as an important pillar of workplace satisfaction and retention, especially for Gen Z and millennial employees. According to Deloitte’s 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, both generations continue to report high levels of stress, with 40% of Gen Z and 35% of millennials feeling stressed most of the time. Despite slight improvements in mental health compared with previous years, only about half rate their mental health as good or extremely good​. This article explores the expectations of Gen Z and millennials around mental health support and how employers can adapt to meet these needs according to the report.

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Mental Health as a Top Priority

Key stressors include long hours, lack of recognition, and insufficient time to complete tasks, with many also citing poor work/life balance as a contributing factor. In fact, 34% of Gen Zs and 30% of millennials report that work/life balance issues add to their stress levels​.

This growing concern is reshaping workplace expectations. Around 54% of Gen Zs and 55% of millennials believe their employers take mental health seriously, but there is still ample room for improvement. The stigma surrounding mental health persists, with nearly three in 10 fearing discrimination if they raise mental health concerns at work​.

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What Do Gen Z and Millennials Expect?

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Open Conversations About Mental Health
Creating a culture of openness is expected. At the moment, only about 56% of Gen Zs and 59% of millennials feel comfortable discussing mental health with their managers according to the report. Employers who promote open dialogue and ensure managers are trained to provide support can significantly reduce stigma and foster a healthier work environment​.

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Visible Leadership Advocacy
Senior leaders play an essential role in driving change. Unfortunately, only about 27% of Gen Z and 34% of millennial respondents reported having leaders who openly share their own mental health experiences. Employers should encourage leaders to champion mental health initiatives visibly and authentically​.

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Tailored Mental Health Resources
Practical mental health support can take many forms, such as access to counselling services, flexible working arrangements, and wellness programmes. Offering comprehensive Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) that address diverse needs is essential to attracting and retaining young talent.

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Why Should Employers Invest in Mental Health Support?

For employers, prioritising mental health is not only the right thing to do but also a strategic business move. Employees who feel supported are more likely to recommend their workplace. According to Deloitte, Gen Zs and millennials who perceive their employers as taking mental health seriously are significantly more likely to stay with their organisation and act as brand ambassadors.

Moreover, mental health initiatives contribute to overall productivity and reduce burnout, one of the leading causes of employee turnover. When paired with other key workplace values such as work/life balance, learning opportunities, and meaningful work, mental health support becomes a critical factor in creating a thriving, engaged workforce.

Practical Steps for Employers

In 2024, Carrington West achieved a top UK workplace wellbeing accreditation from Investors in People. Speaking from our own experience as an employer of a predominantly millennial and Gen Z workforce, our Head of HR, Emily Christmas shares this advice;

“To align with the expectations of younger employees, organisations can take practical steps. These do not have to be expensive programmes to implement, but doing something rather than nothing will go a long way to creating a culture of trust and openness which is the single most important thing you can do;

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Implement Manager Training: Equip leaders with the tools to recognise and address mental health challenges within their teams.

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Provide Flexible Work Options: Allow for hybrid models or flexible working hours to reduce stress and improve work/life balance. Not every organisation can offer everything, and if this is the case, ensure that other flexible benefits are available so individuals can choose what works for them. For example, gym membership may be appreciated by some, whereas others may prefer a holiday buy scheme for example.

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Seek Regular Feedback: Measure employee satisfaction, and ask questions specifically around mental health and the mental health programmes you offer. At Carrington West we collect data from a daily pulse survey, so we can see immediately identify any dip in the overall mental health of teams or gather real time feedback if someone is struggling. Even if you collect data monthly or bi-monthly, make sure you take actions as a result of that feedback.

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Signpost Policies and Support: Ensure mental health policies are accessible and inclusive, particularly for marginalised groups, and that you regularly and clearly communicate how to access them.

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Build Trust: Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, if you do not create a culture of trust it will be impossible to have any meaningful conversations around mental health in the workplace.

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For more information, please reach out to your Carrington West consultant or contact us on info@carringtonwest.com. Thank you for reading this blog - we hope you found it valuable!